Endemic to the Ubangi (also spelled Oubangui) River drainage in southwestern Central African Republic with type locality given as ‘Small stream along Mbaiki-Mongoumba road, south of Bangui, 3°55’N, 18°10’E, Central African Republic’.

The Ubangi is is the largest right-ba…

Type locality is the settlement of Bessou, Lobaye prefecture, Central African Republic, which lies within the Ubangi (also spelled Oubangui) River basin. The Ubangi is a major tributary of the Congo River and this species appears restricted to its middle section and thus probably extends into northern Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Described from ‘Buala, Cameroon’, which corresponds to modern-day Bouala in Central African Republic. It’s known distribution includes parts of northern Cameroon, western Central African Republic, southeastern Chad and possibly eastern Nigeria in the upper Benue and Mayo Kébbi river systems.

The specific name was mis-used to refer to various populations of the congener A. elberti prior to 1990, and we’ve been unable to confirm if the specimen pictured here is correctly identified or not. It is listed as ‘endangered’ by the IUCN.

This species’ currently accepted range stretches from eastern Nigeria (Mbam River) across central Cameroon (via the Sanaga River system of which the Mbam is a tributary) and across the border into Central African Republic (upper Mambéré basin).

It was described from ‘Jade Plateau, Cameroon’, this apparently corresponding to the Lebo River which lies in what is now the Central African Republic and presumably forms part of the Mambéré headwaters.

An ideal species for the newcomer to 'oddballs'. It is exceptionally hardy, long-lived (it can survive for over 15 years when cared for properly) and exhibits some interesting behaviour. It appears to have evolved convergently with leaf fish of the genera Polycentrus and Monocirrhus (they're not closely related). All these species mimic leaves and other aquatic debris to assist them in hunting their prey. If you add live food to its tank, you will see the typical stalking behaviou…